One animal stands to be one of the big winners as the government overhauls Sweden’s species protection laws—but at the same time, protection for 182 previously protected species will be lifted. The reform also opens the door to greater opportunities for agriculture and forestry, a move that is already drawing sharp criticism from the environmental movement.
The government is presenting a new set of regulations for species protection that will make hedgehogs, eels, and several other species protected—while removing protection for species such as the hepatica, cowslip, and ivy. In total, the number of protected species will decrease from just under 300 to just over 230, reports TT.
The new system is divided into four levels of protection: strict, enhanced, basic, and limited protection.
Paves the way for more forestry
At the same time, exceptions and grounds for exemptions are being introduced to make it easier for agriculture and forestry, as well as for projects of public interest, such as energy production and national defense.
– The current national protection system is too broad; a critically endangered species is protected just as much as a meadow flower, and we want to change that, says the Minister of Climate and the Environment Romina Pourmokhtari (L).
She also points out that landowners can continue to use their land if they can demonstrate that the species are not harmed.
– If, as a landowner, you can show that you will not harm the species, you may still use the land, says Pourmokhtari.
Environmental organizations warn of weakened protection
The hedgehog is now protected after its population, according to the Red List, is estimated to have been cut in half over the past 15 years. At the same time, the knee-root orchid is receiving less extensive protection, which, according to the government, will allow for further forestry operations. A total of 130 species are being added to the list, while 182 previously protected species are being removed.
The Swedish Society for Nature Conservation and WWF have previously criticized the changes, arguing that, taken together, they result in weaker species protection. The government, however, describes the reform as a more targeted and practical regulatory framework.
Why not protect the native Swedish people?
We all know that the government doesn’t care about the Swedish people, so it doesn’t surprise me that they don’t care about animals and nature either. Our Minister of Rural Affairs, Peter Kullgren, has repeatedly shown his hatred for Sweden’s animals.
Invasive species have spread throughout Sweden. They are displacing other, more desirable species.